It's Official...

My computer crashed! I put it in the mail yesterday to get fixed by the manufacturer (it's only a few months old - ugh). I was told I should have it back in a few weeks - so talk to you all then!

I guess the timing probably couldn't be any better - now I have no excuses for packing for our move : )

Great Giveaways - 10/18

Here are some great giveaways this week!

Happily Domestic has some great giveaways going on right now as part of her Cloth Diaper Giveaway Week:

• 2 Prairie Tales pocket diapers in your choice of size and color AND a wetbag in your choice of print! This is a $50.00 value. Giveaway ends 11/1.


• 1 Nifty Nappy OS diaper, a Woolie Wrap, and 1/4 lb. of lanolin to care for your wool - Giveaway ends on 10/29.
  

Newly Wed, Newly Bred is giving away TWO diapers, one Nubunz and one SweetDollBaby. Giveaway ends on 10/23.

Newly Wed, Newly Bred is also giving away $25 of Monkeybucks for a great cloth diapering Etsy Shop - Monkey Snuggles. Giveaway ends on 10/24.

A Kindred Spirit's Thoughts is giving away a Woollybums Bamboo Diaper. Giveaway ends on 10/31.

thinkPink is giving away a Rumparooz G2 diaper courtesy of East Coast Cloth - giveaway ends on 10/31.

Angie at 5 Vinez Monkeys is having a great giveaway sponsored by Suzi Homemaker. You can win a Personalized Diaper Stacker! Don't have a baby? No worries! These diaper stackers are great for storing all sorts of things - from toys to books and everything in between. Stop by before 11:59pm ET on October 23rd and enter to win!

First Time Around is giving away a Kushies Ultra-Lite Infant Trial Pack. This pack includes 2 10-22 lb diapers, 2 washable diaper liners, 2 washclothes, and 10 biodegradable diaper liners. Giveaway ends on 10/19.



Babee Love is giving away a KN Karen Neuburger PJ set for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Giveaway ends on 10/27.


First Time Around is also giving away a 45/90 load bag of Rockin Green laundry detergent (this stuff is awesome for diapers!). Giveaway ends today - 10/18!

Blog Hop - Anything that Feels Good

So this is my first week of participating in the blog hop - and I think it is very fitting considering the topic - "anything that feels good". It can be a joke, an inspirational story, a photo, or whatever will makes you feel good. So with that, I will tell you in a short post what is making me feel good right now:

We are moving back up to New England in a few weeks (where both my husband's and my family are). It makes me feel good to be able to get back up there and be able to see all of our family more often. It also makes me feel good knowing that we will be able to spend the holidays with everyone this year. And as crazy as it may sound (seeing as this is a reason I left New England 5 years ago), I feel good knowing my kids will be able to play in the snow this winter!

So if you don't see much activity on my blog in the next few weeks, it's because I have 2 weeks to get my house packed up and then we have a long drive back home...

KN Karen Neuburger PJ's Giveaway at The Buzz

I'm sure you all know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, KN Karen Neuburger and Dillard’s department stores nationwide have teamed together to host Pink Parties. For each purchase of KN Karen Neuburger pajamas during the Pink Parties, KN will donate 30 minutes of research to Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Over at The Buzz, KN Karen Neuburger and Dillard’s department stores have offered 3 lucky readers a pair of KN Karen Neuburge pink ribbon signature pj sets!!! Giveaway ends on 10/20. If you stop by The Buzz and enter her giveaway, make sure to Brandi know that I sent you :) Thanks!

Great Giveaways 10/11

I can't believe it is already Sunday again! Where are the weeks going? Anyway, here is my weekly list of some great giveaways going on!

Mkokopelli is giving away a Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder Combo. Giveaway ends on 10/17.


Enter to win some Babylegs at Dirty Diaper Laundry. Giveaway ends 10/23.

Win a new release copy of Disney's Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs at Rave & Review - ends 11/10.

Monkey Toes Reviews & Giveaways is giving away a black Sweet Pea diaper as part of their Halloween Bash giveaway. Giveaway ends on 10/15.

Big City! Baby is giving away 3 FuzziBunz diapers! Giveaway ends on 10/17.

A Psych Mommy is giving away a $150 gift card to Campus Quilt Company. Giveaway ends on 10/22.

Enter to win a Dora Christmas CD at My Wee View. Giveaway ends on 10/16.

ThetaMom has a giveaway for a $150 gift card to Campus Quilt Company. Giveaway ends on 10/22.

Oh Baby O is giving away a Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder Combo. Giveaway ends on 10/20.

Babee Love is giving away 3 Little Bear Bums cloth diapers of your choice. Giveaway ends on 10/19.

Diaper Discussions is giving away a Rocky Mountain diaper as part of their Pimp Your Stash giveaway. Giveaway ends this Friday!!

The Cloth Diaper Whisperer has their weekly Fluff Friday giveaway - this week they have 2 giveaways: A size 1 gro baby biodegradable soaker (50 ct.) and a size 2 gro baby biodegradable soaker (50 ct.). Winner is announced this Friday!

Feed Your Stash giveaway at the Cloth Diaper Blog ends this Friday! This week's giveaway includes one (1) Milk-Saver, one (1) Mother’s Minder Reminder Bracelet, and (1) package of Imse Vimse Organic Cotton Nursing Pads!

Good Luck!!!!

Craigslist & Freecycle - Friend or Foe?

Over the past year I have used Craiglist and our local Freecycle group often. I love the concept of them both. If you haven't used them before, here is a brief explanation: Craigslist is an online classified ad that is free to use (to list items or to view the currently listed ads). I have bought & sold baby & kids items here, sold patio furniture, and used to look for houses to rent recently. Freecycle is a local group that brings people to give away your old items for free. You can look at the online listing and if there is anything you see that you need, you can contact the owner to coordinate a time to pick up. I used Freecycle a lot during my last move - that is where I gathered most of my boxes for moving and also got rid of stuff around the house that I probably would have otherwise just trashed. Once I unpacked in our new house, I then relisted the boxes on freecycle for someone else to use.



If you noticed, I stated above that I love the concept of these sites. In theory, they sound great! The more I use craigslist and freecycle though, the more I wonder if these are really that good anyway. My husband absolutely refuses to use them. He would much rather just donate whatever items we no longer need to a reputable charity. For the most part I agree, but there are sometimes where that just doesn't work (i.e.: moving boxes). Here are a few of the reasons why my husband can no longer be bothered with either Freecycle or Craigslist:



1) People don't show up - OFTEN!!!!! Here is just one example: We had an old gps system for our car that we no longer used. At the time, it was the only thing I wanted to get rid of and didn't want to drive all the way to goodwill or recycling to drop off. I listed on freecycle and got over 100 emails of people interested. The first person never showed (after 2 scheduled chances to pick up), the second person never showed, and the third person never showed. I then got in my car and drove it to recycling (they were offering an incentive to drop off electronic that week so received a free stainless steel water bottler - yay!)



2) Crazy people show up! I listed a toddler car booster seat on Craigslist. I received an email from someone stating that they were in desperate need of a booster seat for their child and wanted to buy it. The woman called a few times during the day and kept pushing back the time to stop by and to pay and pick up (she was waiting for her husband to get out of work). When they finally showed up, they pulled up with the woman in the passenger seat and a child on her lap. There were 2 additional children in the backseat - and no one was wearing seatbelts! When the back door opened a dog came barreling out (and I am not exactly the most comfortable person around strange dogs I do not know) and it took them at least 10 minutes of chasing the dog around to finally get it back in the car. I was so happy that they now had a car seat for their little one, but I was just shocked by the whole scene.



3) Picky? Anal? Annoying? You pick the word to describe this person: I listed some books on freecycle - someone responded and was wondering if I could send pictures. Huh???? I'm giving them to you for free - I stated they were hardcover and in great condition (only read once). You really need pics?



4) There are always those who feel an exception should be made for them: I listed some baby toys on freecycle and noted in my listing that they needed to be picked up by the end of the weekend or would be donated. So wouldn't you know, someone responds saying that they really want them, but can't pick up until next week. Could I hold them for them? Um, let me think about it.....no. Did they not read my listing?



5) Is there a real person behind that username? Someone listed some new bamboo placemats from Pier One on freecycle that they weren't going to use. I told them I could pick up that day. Well, for the next 3 days, they came up with an excuse as to why they wouldn't be around for me to pick up. But them conveniently, when I listed 3 different items on freecycle, she emailed me for all 3 items wondering if she could have them. And each request was a standard email that was just copied & pasted. Did she not recognize my email address as the one who was still waiting to pick up the placemats? I caught onto her quickly - she was just looking to get as much stuff for free and probably just reselling them afterwards.



So after all that has happened, I have taken a 3-4 month break from using either Craigslist or Freecycle. Well, today I decided to try once again. My husband thought I was crazy, but I thought it was worth a shot. Why, oh why, didn't I listen to my husband (I think I've mentioned before that he is usually my voice of reason)? So here is the email I received this evening regarding our patio set that I listed today:



"Hi

I like this set, but I am in downtown City X, NE 15th st. and I do not have a car. Are you travelling to City X by a chance and can deliver it to me?

Please let me know. "



Yes, that is correct - they just asked if I could deliver the patio set to them. And just to let you know, City X is about an hour and a half away from where we live.



Is this person for real? Would you ever drive a piece of furniture an hour & a half away to sell it pretty cheap? The whole point of selling it cheap is to get someone to come over here and take it away so my husband and I don't have to worry about hauling it away ourselves. Ugh! I'm officially taking a break again. Not sure if I will ever go back...

Do you have an crazy stories like these? Or am I the only one that is just beyond annoyed at the other people using craigslist & freecycle?

Aloha Friday - 10/9

From Kailani at An Island Life:

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and leave your link HERE. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

So I was building forts with my kids yesterday with pillows & sheets and I realized how building them as adults just isn't the same as when you were a kid. Now don't get me wrong, I was having fun, but it just wasn't the same kind of fun I remember as when as I was younger (part of the reason - I don't fit as well in those forts anymore!). Then it got me to thinking, what do I miss most about being a kid?

I think for me, I miss how time just seemed to last forever. The days, weeks, months & years just didn't seem to go by nearly as fast as they do now.

What about you, what do you miss most about being a kid?

More Bridal Shower Stuff

Last week I posted about Emily's bridal shower (my future sister-in-law) and what a great time I had. I also mentioned that there were some things I still wanted to share - my sister's favors she made and some gifts I made for her. So I finally have pictures to share (I forgot my camera on my visit up north so had to wait for everyone to email me their photos!).

I had mentioned that my sister made some really cool favors to give out - and here it is! If you remember, the theme of the shower was "Fall In Love" to go along with the beautiful autumn weather up in Connecticut. Here is a picture of one of the diffusers she made with the apricot mango oil in the bottle (half were with apricot mango and the other half were made with apple cinnamon). She purchased the small glass jars from Michael's crafts along with some fake fall leaves and twine. There were various styles of jarst that she bought (round, square and triangle). She then separated the leaves and tied them to the jar with the twine. I believe she may have also used a glue gun to glue the leaves to the jar. She purchased a large lot of reed sticks from an online candle shop and tied them off in bunches of four with the twine. Then on the day of the shower, she filled each jar with scented oil. For those of you who haven't used a diffuser before, you place the reed sticks in the jar with oil and the oil moves up the sticks and gives off a nice fragrance. These are a great alternative to candles because they are flame free and they also do not let off any soot or film into your house. They are easy to make yourself, or if you want to, you can search online and there are many retailers that sell them. I even saw a few shops on etsy that sold diffusers as well!

I'm not sure if you remember, but I posted awhile back that I was having trouble finding time to finish making my gift that I was making for Emily (and it was something I was very excited about!). I also didn't want to mention anything on the blog about what I was making in case Emily decided to stop by and pay my blog a visit. Well, my big project was making her an apron with matching pot holders! This was my first time sewing an apron or pot holders so I was a bit nervous (especially since it was a gift). My extent of sewing this past year (and most of my life) has been making my daughters' cloth diapers and wipes (since I'm really the only one who sees the stuff, I don't mind if I mess up in a few places!). Emily is very petite (shorter than me and I'm 5') so I had to alter the pattern I bought a bit too. But I must say, I was very impressed with myself. Emily loves monkeys (and buys my kids so many monkey things!) so I decided to make her a monkey aprong with matching pot holders. Here is my finished product:

(Don't mind the wrinkles - it was a long (and tightly packed) trip up to CT from FL!)

(for the potholders, I did one side with the monkey print and the other side solid brown).

Don't worry - I made sure to test the potholders myself before giving them away to make sure they really worked!

The other part of our gift to Emily and my brother was a recipe book. When I sent out the invitation, I asked everyone to email me a favorite recipe of theirs as well as a photograph (it could be of them, their family, a photo with Emily and/or my brother, etc.). As I collected the recipes, I used a website that I found - TasteBook. Here I was able to type in all the recipes, organize them, and upload the photos. When I was done, I was able to choose a cover photo (they had a ton to choose from) for the book. I had looked at a few different websites for this project, but went with TasteBook for a few reasons: (1) the book is hardcover (2) it is spiral bound so additional pages could be ordered later on & added to the book (3) you could also order clear folder pages to hold magazine cutouts (4) if you purchase a book that holds 100 recipes and you don't actually have a full 100 recipes, then the remaining amount I didn't fill, my brother & Emily could later type in additional recipes they like and order more pages for their book for free. Seeing as I had never used them before (and didn't know of anyone who did either), I was a little nervous for what the end product would look like. Let me tell you, I should not have been nervous - the book came out AWESOME!!! So if you are looking to make a recipe book, I would highly suggest checking out Tastebook.com.

Time Out For Theta Mom Thursday - 10/8

Is it already Thursday again? So I didn't post about Theta Mom Thursday for the past two weeks because, unfortunately, I really haven't had a chance to have a timeout for myself. Yeah, I have stayed up few nights very late to finish projects I was working on or to blog, but I don't really count those. During those late hours, I'm giving up some precious sleep to get as many things done as I can in a short amount of time. Not really relaxing if you know what I mean.

Anyway, so another week has come & gone. Did I find my hour this past week? This may be a stretch, but I really needed it, so I am taking it! I stayed up late on Monday night trying to catch up on my blog & my etsy shop (don't worry, that's not my "me time"). On Tuesday I was very tired and also noticed that my son was a little crabby. I got both of my girls to nap at the same time. By son rarely naps anymore, but I talked to him about taking a little rest. He wasn't convinced so I told him I would lay down with him. Well, while we were all tucked into his twin bed, I was talking quietly about how nice a nap is every once in awhile and he if he fell asleep, he would wake up so refreshed. The last I remember is a long blink of his eyes and then I woke up about 90 minutes later to a snoring little boy next to me.

Most weeks I wouldn't consider that as "me time", but that nap was the perfect thing for me this past week! Now let's hope I can fit in some real (awake) "me time" this coming week :)

Visit Theta Mom to read how other mom's spent their time to themselves this past week.

Body After Baby - Week 2

Last week I let you all know that I was participating in the Body After Baby Challenge at Mama Notes. Our mini challenge last week to increase the amount of water that you drink on a daily basis. I really didn't realize how much water I WASN'T drinking until I started to write it down again. I say "again" because I have done Weight Watchers after each of my children was born, and the big part of Weight Watchers is writing everything down. Well, after we moved this past summer, I'm not really sure what happened, but I stopped writing everything down. No wonder I always feel thirsty (or hungry) - I wasn't drinking enough! Until this week though - I managed to get in 7-8 glasses a day!!! And I must say, I did feel better :) I also got back into the habit of writing everything I eat down too!

Now for this week's mini-challenge: How many minutes can you walk? Every 15 minutes you walk/run = 1 point (up to a maximum of 4 points). I am going to be honest with you - this week's challenge is going to be a struggle for me. After my 2nd was born, I used to walk/run daily during the week. Every morning after the kids ate breakfast, I would put them in my double stroller and go out for 45-60 minutes each day and then stop at the park on the way home (I do miss those days!). Now with my 3rd, I haven't been able to figure out how to get my walks in. I don't have a triple stroller and my 3 year old is not exactly a fast walker (lol!). I've thought about having him ride his bike so I could jog, but that just makes me nervous around the streets. In the morning before my husband goes to work? Yeah, right. I am NOT a morning person. I'm usually up at 6 to nurse my daughter. Then the other kids are up between 6:30 and 7 - so that would mean an EARLY walk - definitely not happening! In the evening when he gets home? Not likely. He usually gets home too late (it's 9:20 pm as I type this post and he's still at work). So I am just aiming to get out there on Saturday & Sunday.

If you are also participating - good luck!!! I'll be back next week to let you know how I did :)

Get Ready for a Cloth Diaper Event at Happily Domestic!

Happily Domestic is having her first Cloth Diaper Giveaway event starting October 14th. For 7 days straight, she will feature a cloth diaper review and giveaway! If this is something that interests you, head over to her blog today to learn how to earn some extra entries in those giveaways :)

Wordless Wednesday - No Hands!

My 2 year old has discovered "Look Ma - No Hands!!" while riding down are nearly flat driveway (something my 3 1/2 year old hadn't yet discovered until his little sister shared with him)

She has proven, once again, what a wild child she is :)

For more Wordless Wednesday, head over here.

Sibling Squabbles

It is amazing what a 3 1/2 year old and 2 year old can find to argue over:

My son (3 1/2) to his 2 year old sister: "You stink. You did poopy in your diaper."

My daughter: "No I didn't. Only pee-pee."

My son: "Yes, you did poopy!" (you can start to hear the frustration in his voice)

My daughter: "NO!!!!" (the whinning starts) "I don't have poopies!"

My son: "YES YOU DO!!!" (tears start) "Mommy, sissy stinks!!!"

My daughter: "No I don't. No poopy, just pee-pee" (yes, her tears have also started).

Me: "Yes honey, you do have poops. I can smell them - let's go change your diaper".

My daughter: "Oh, okay." (wipes her tears and now has a smile)

Huh????????

Really kids? You need to argue if there are poops in a diaper or not?

And about 15 minutes later, there how I found them on the couch.

Harry Connick, Jr. Your Songs CD Review

I recently had the opportunity to review Harry Connick, Jr.'s new CD - Your Songs - courtesty of One 2 One Network. My husband has always been a fan of Harry Connick, Jr. (and of course introduced me to him) and often would put him on as background music while we relaxed and enjoyed a glass of wine. I have always enjoyed listening to his music, but I will be honest with you, I was not the one in our household that knew the names to all of his songs.

The day I recieved the CD in the mail, I waited until the kids were asleep to put it into the CD player. I wanted the kitchen clean, the kids asleep, and an hour by myself to listen to the CD with a glass of wine. I was expecting this CD to be similar to some of his older ones, but was pleasently surprised by when I hit play. I knew all the songs on the CD already! In this album, Harry Connick, Jr. performs classic songs by some of the greatest musicians of all time (Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Tony Bennett, to name just a few). I recognized the songs, new the words, and was able to enjoy them in a different format: with Harry's amazing voice with jazz band and string orchestra. It was the perfect CD for a relaxing evening!

Here is a listing of the tracks included in the album (originally performed by):

All The Way (Frank Sinatra)

Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)

Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (Elvis Presley)

And I Love Her (The Beatles)

(They Long To Be) Close To You (The Carpenters)

Besame Mucho

The Way You Look Tonight

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Roberta Flack)

Your Song (Elton John)

Some Enchanted Evening

And I Love You So (Don McLean)

Who Can I Turn To? (Tony Bennett)

Smile (Charlie Chaplin)

Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole)

I think my favorites on the album were Can't Help Falling In Love With You (who doesn't love that song?), Just The Way You Are, and Your Song. I would definitely recommend this CD! The best thing ab0ut it, is that I can put this album on, press play, and know that I can enjoy every song and not have to worry about skipping any songs.

If you are interested in this CD, you can head over to Amazon.com to purchase. Not sure if you would definitely enjoy the album? Well, you are in luck! Amazon.com also has a link so you can listen to some samples and see for yourself how great this new album is. Also, tune in this week to Rachael Ray as Harry Connick, Jr. will be making an appearance!

If you are a fan of Harry Connick, Jr., you can check out his website (www.harryconnickjr.com) or his facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/harryconnickjr).

Thanks again to One 2 One Network for providing me a copy of Harry Connick, Jr.'s newest album: Your Songs, for review.

Made Just For You Hair Bows Giveaway

My 2 year old little girl has FINALLY grown enough hair for me to use hair bows! Yes, it took her almost a full 2 years to finally have enough hair to put back in a clip! I have a feeling her baby sister is going to take about the same amount of time - at 8 months she has hardly any hair.



Anyway, now that my older daughter's hair has grown, I have become addicted to hair bows for her! Her hair is very fine and many of the store bought bows I have found do not stay in her hair that well. Brandy, over at The Buzz, recently started selling the hair bows that she has made for her daughters at Made Just For You. I would love to try her hairbows for my little girl. If you would too, head on over to The Buzz right now because she is having a giveaway for a Medium Layered Bow Set to promote her new store and the current sale going on (Buy 1, Get 1 50% off).

My Frustrations Yesterday

So I am going to use my blog today to vent and also ask if you think I am overreacting here.

My husband and I took the kids to the mall yesterday to get my husband and son fitted for their tuxes (my brother's wedding is less than a month away now!). I didn't want to deal with a crowded mall, so we went around 4pm. After the fitting, the kids were complaining that they were hungry, so we stopped in the food court to grab an early dinner. So far we had had a pleasant experience so I thought it would be nice for us to walk to the other side of the mall and let the kids play in the indoor play area for a little bit (I should have known to stop when I was ahead, huh? Maybe it had been time for us to leave after dinner...)

Well, the indoor play area is for young children with a height of 42" and shorter. There is also a separate corner for infants and crawlers only. The play area is basically a soft carpeted area with play fruit for them to climb on. Something definitely geared for younger children. It was a little crowded when we got there, but we took the kids over to one side where there weren't many kids. Within a few minutes though, it looked like Lord of the Flies in the entire play area (baby area included) with parents totally oblivious to what was going on around them!

There were more than a handful of kids that were running around playing tag that were taller than me. I am not exagerating here!!!! Granted I am only 5', but still! Clearly, these kid are way too big to be playing here. They also did not seem to care that there were smaller toddlers walking around and exploring. When my son got trampled on by a few of them, they just kept on running like nothing ever happened.

I'm not sure who bright idea this was, but there was actually a table trying to sell something near the play area - and as part of their ploy to get people to their table - they were giving away balloons on sticks to kids! So yes, I'm sure you can imagine what happened in the play area. A handful of 5-6 year old boys running around with only the sticks in their hands chasing each other. When one ran by my daughter and hit her in the back with the stick, I of course said something to the boy (not sure where is mom or dad was but they either didn't care I said something to their son, or they didn't see it). When I told him that he just hit my daughter and he shouldn't run with sticks in his hand, he looked at me like I was crazy (and then ran off without an apology).

And then you have the parents that decide to allow their children to play here with their shoes on! Are you kidding me? These are young children running around, climbing and jumping. It is inevitable that they are going to bump into each other or step on someone else's hands or feet. (Or just spread germs from whatever feces they stepped in while outside)

What is so hard about reading and following the rules? If there is an area for infants & crawlers only, why are you allowing your 10 year old to run around like a maniac in there? Why is your 10 year old in there at all? My 3 1/2 year old and 2 year old know that they are not allowed in the baby area (even if their little sister is in there). I have explained to them that they are too big and if they fell, they could really hurt one of the younger babies. Once I explained it to them, they were fine with it. I have also explained to them why we don't wear shoes in there. Whenever we stop by to play, the first thing they do is take their shoes off and leave them with me.

I know that there are some families there whose younger children are small enough to play there but their older children are just too big. I understand that there will come a time when my 3rd will be small enough to play in there but my 2 older children will probably be too tall. I'm not sure yet what I will I do when I get to that situation. But I do know what I will not do. I will not just ignore what my children are doing in there so I can either shop or talk on the phone, while I just assume my older kids are watching their younger siblings. The older kids at the play area yesterday are still kids and still needed to be supervised by their parent. I think it is a little dangerous for a kid my size to be jumping off of something 2 feet high (over a 2 year old's head). Seeing as it was just one big accident waiting to happen yesterday, we decided to leave.

I didn't think I was overreacting last night (as my husband felt the same way as I did - usually he is my voice of reason), but I was wondering what you thought.

Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent Review

About a month or two ago I was reading lots of rave reviews about Rockin' Green on many blogs. It was a new detergent made by Kim (yes, the same Kim that makes GAD Diapers). Well, she had worked hard for months to develop a laundry detergent to clean her cloth diapers that would be safe for her son's sensitive skin, but also safe for the environment. She currently has 2 formulas - a classic formula (Classic Rock) and a senstive formula (Soft Rock). She also made sure to make it Mom Friendly - meaning that she made it available in a wide assortment of appealing scents. Anyone who washes cloth diapers knows that to have something close by that smells delicious is just awesome. Anything to mask the smell of old pee & poo is just delightful in my book!

Before I even tried Rockin' Green, some of you may remember that I wrote about my daughter using this stuff with her kids during Dirty Diaper Laundry's 2nd Cloth Diaper Carnival. If you've read my posts before, you know that although I love using cloth diapers, I just don't like the smell that escapes from the diaper pail on wash day. I know it only lasts for about a minute while I dump the diapers in the washing machine, but I still don't like it.

What I love about Rockin' Green is that Kim doesn't make you buy a full size bag of detergent if you don't want to. Who likes to have to purchase a full package of something before you actually know if you are going to like it or not? I know that there are many times I would love to buy something to try, but hold off because I don't want to spend a lot of money in case I don't like the product (that's the frugal side of me coming out - lol!). But luckily for me (and the rest of you who are like me), Kim offers several (and I mean a lot) of her scents (in both formulas) to be purchased in a sample size. So for $2 plus shipping (which is very cheap), you can purchase a sample of detergent that will do 5 loads of laundry in a top loader and 10 loads of laundry in front loader. I have a top loader, and for me, I felt like this was a perfect amount to try it out a few times to see if I really liked it.

I ordered 2 samples to try: the Cherry Almond and Mango Sorbet scents. I cannot even begin to to describe to you the wonderful scents coming from my mailbox the day they were delivered! I made sure to place them on the shelf above my washing machine - the perfect place for me to catch a whiff while putting the dirty diapers in the washing machine.

Not only did Rockin' Green make my nose happy on laundry day, it also cleaned my diapers wonderfully!!! I washed a wide assortment - prefolds, covers, AIO's, pockets, fitteds and wipes - and everything came out smelling awesome! No scent of pee or poo and only the faintest scent of detergent. The detergent also did not bother either of my girls. I was worried about my older daughter because she has such sensitive skin (she was the reason I made the switch to cloth over a year ago).

So would I recommend this detergent to my readers? Of course!!! Kim was great to work with, her detergent does an awesome, job at cleaning diapers, it smells out of this world, and it is reasonably priced. If you are looking for a new cloth diaper detergent, I would defnitely suggest you check out Rockin' Green.

Great Giveaways 10/4

Here it is again - my weekly list of great giveaways out there...

A Kindred Spirit's Thoughts is giving away a Rockabye Baby Digital Dowload Card Gift Package (giveaway ends on 10/24).

Mommy Has to Work is giving away a sandwich sized ReSnackIt bag. Giveaway ends on 10/5.

Yonca Is Cooking is giving away a package of Celebrate Chocolate Covered Cocoa Almonds on 10/20.

Babies Gotta Have It has a giveaway going on right now for a cool eco-friendly lunch pack from Citizenpip. Giveaway ends on 10/14

Take Time to Smell the Roses has a giveaway for Econuts Organic Laundry Soap - giveaway ends on 10/5.

The First Time Around is giving away a Drybees AIO Hybrid diaper - giveaway ends on 10/16. She is also giving away a Thirsties Duo Wrap on 10/17.


ThetaMom has a great giveaway! On 10/15, she will give away a Lauren Nicole Fine Silver Wax Seal Shoe Charm Bracelet.


Mommy Is Green is giving away a Kids Konserve Thermos - ends on 10/19.

The Cloth Diaper Whisperer is giving away (as part of their weekly Fluff Friday giveaway) 3 great items this week! They are giving away:1-Baby Beehinds One Size Hemp Diaper 1-Baby Beehinds One Size Bamboo Diaper 1-Baby Beehinds Wool Cover. There are lots of ways to enter, so head on over before Friday.

You have a chance to win 10 free jars of Earth's Best baby food at Thrifty Chic Mama. Giveaway ends on 10/12.

The Cloth Diaper Blog wants to help you Feed Your Stash! Their weekly giveaway is for 2 Rumparooz One Size Diapers.

Diapers & Dimples is giving away Bummas Wipes - giveaway ends on 10/13.

Rave & Review is giving away a beautiful Lauren Nicole personalized necklace - giveaway ends on 10/18.

My Wee View is giving away a Mickey's Christmas Carol DVD on 10/9.

Would you like to Pimp Your Stash (your diaper stash that is?). Head on over to Diaper Discussions to enter to win their weekly Pimp Your Stash giveaway for a Thirsties Diaper Pail Liner & Diaper Duffel - giveaway ends on 10/9!

Do you want to try to go papertowel-less? If so, go over to Moma Lovebug and enter to win her giveaway for a Moo Cow Momma reusable paper towel set. Giveaway ends on 10/18.

Win a Monkey Foot Designs Wetbag!

Moma Lovebug is giving away a Monkey Foot Designs wetbag tomorrow (October 4th). Hurry over and enter before 11:59pm Sunday! Wetbags are great to use for cloth diapers while on the go and also wet bathing suits or clothes. Monkey Foot Designs also has a large assortment of designs to choose from :)

Book Review: The Blackberry Diaries

I was very excited when I was given the chance to read the book: The Blackberry Diaries, Adventures in Modern Motherhood. You see, I used to have a blackberry. That was back when I had a full-time job outside of my house. You could say that I hated my blackberry. I guess you could also say that I loved my blackberry. At any given moment, I could call someone or email them if I needed to. (You know how busy mommy brains work - when you least expect it you think of a great idea that you need to share, or you remember something you forgot to send off to a client before leaving work, so conveniently in the day care parking lot, you can send it off!) But then again, I couldn't hide from anyone either. That little red light always blinking - letting me know that someone wanted to reach me.

I loved the idea of this book - a modern mother just receives a new gift - a Blackberry smartphone. Rather than type out a blog like me and many others moms out there, she wanted to document her adventures in modern motherhood (with her blackberry of course) on her blackberry. Of course you will later find out that this book/blog was not completely written on her blackberry. Can you imagine how your fingers would feel after typing an entire book on a blackberry?

Once I opened this book I had a hard time putting it down. Kathy has a great sense of humor and reminded me of myself in many instances throughout the book. One of my favorite chapters was titled: "Helloooo? Is Anybody Out There?" The first few lines says it all: "Why doesn't she answer my email? Did I piss her off? Was it my tone? Was there a tone?" Hmm - the thoughts that go through out heads when we don't receive an instantaneous reply!

This book was a lot of fun to read. She has a funny way of looking at those frustrating things that come with raising kids "I do love to hate my BlackBerry smartphone; and I hate to love it. This is similar to how I feel about my 2 year old, whom I adore one minute and want to send out for a DNA test the next". This chapter had me cracking up - I have been there where I am looking at my toddler wondering if that red faced, screaming, hysterical, making no sense child is really my own (or even human).

Although I no longer have my BlackBerry, reading this book did make me miss it just a little! I would definitely recommend this book - a great laugh out loud book for other moms. If you aren't a mom and just love your BlackBerry, you can definitely get a lot of enjoyment out this book as well. If you would like to learn more about the author or just share blackberry experiences, you can find Kathy on the web at:

Kathy’s blog: http://www.blackberrydiaries.net/
Join her Facebook: BB Diaries page
Twitter pages: @BBDiaries.

The book can also be purchased at Amazon.com.

Getting My Kids to Eat Veggies

I know you have probably all heard this before - I can have trouble some days getting my kids to eat their veggies. Fruit is never the problem though. When it comes to snacktime, my kids are usually always asking for more fruit. I love that their idea of a sugary snack is an apple or a bowl of mixed berries. But back to the vegatables - my kids are not always that easy on me when it comes to serving them their veggies. My 3 year old is getting much better. He loves lettuce all of a sudden, asks for fresh spinach to be put on his turkey sandwich, and loves to snack on cut up red peppers while I'm cooking for dinner. My 2 year old is another story though. I think the only vegetables she will eat without a fight are peas and steamed brocolli. My 8 month old is super easy now :) As a baby she loves to explore her new foods and has liked everything I've served her so far (no complaining here!!!).

So what do I do to help them eat their veggies?

• I try to consistently offer them a variety of vegetables. Some days my daughter my turn her nose up at green beans, but the next day devour them. Go figure!
• I try to set a good example and eat lots of vegetables myself (in front of them as well so they see me eating them). I also offer them bites of my food all the time to allow them to try new things
• When making different dishes, I try to incorporate veggies - veggie pizzas, veggie quiche, veggie lasagna, etc.
• I let the kids help me pick out the vegetables at the grocery store. When they help me pick them out, they are more likely to try it at home.
• I let the kids help me make dinner - the nights we make pizza and I let them spread out the veggies on the pizza, they are more excited to eat it.
• When all else fails, I've been known to sneak in some veggies (I sometimes think this is more beneficial for my hubby who doesn't always want to eat his vegetables). I use my food processor and chop up zucchini and/or fresh spinach and add to my turkey meatballs, turkey meatloaf, and turkey burgers. I also puree cauliflower and mix it in with macaroni cheese. When I have some extra pureed sweet potatoes from making my baby's baby food, I have also added that to our pasta sauce. I've heard of some great books out there that have recipes for sneaking in veggies, but I haven't tried them. I figured as long as I can get my kids to eat to a good amount of veggies on their own, I didn't want to rely on hiding veggies everywhere.

So what is your secret to getting your kids to eat their veggies? Horizon Little Blends and TwitterMoms are having a blog contest right now about how to get your kids to eat their fruits & veggies. Take a minute and visit TwitterMoms for more information and then blog about it. The first 100 participants will win a prize for a Thermos snack jar and a coupon for the new Horizon Little Blends yogurt plus a giveaway for their very own readers! Horizon Little Blends is an all-natural yogurt, no added growth hormones, no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives without high fructose corn syrup.

Aloha Friday - 10/2

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.

If you’d like to participate, just post your own question on your blog and head over here. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

So my question is: What are you making for dinner tonight? I am sitting here trying to figure out what to make, and I'm drawing a blank. I would love some suggestions - thanks!

Our House of Awards

For those of you who don't know, my husband is a CPA and works as an audit manager for a national public accounting firm. He works very hard, travels all over the country, teaches training at his firm, participates in recruiting, and basically works very hard (did I already mention that?) so I can stay home and raise our 3 adorable kids! I was excited for him last month when he was recognized for his hard work and won Employee of the Year in the South Florida office. His local nomination & win was then forwarded to their national office (as with all other local wins in the country - there are over 100 offices in the U.S.). Well I woke up this morning to my husband trying to wake me up (yes, before my kids woke up! I was thinking, this had better be good!). Well, it was! It was announced this morning that he won the National Employee of the Year Award!!! So I just wanted to say a great big CONGRATULATIONS to my hubby!!!!!!!

And when the subject of awards came up, I was reminded of a few awards that my blog has been awarded recently :) I am sorry it has taken so long for me to accept my awards and pass along (but better late than never, right?)

Xenia over at Thanks, Mail Carrier - which by the way, I love the name of her blog! There are days the mailman can appear to be Santa Claus - delivering great items right to my doorstep! Anyway, Xenia passed on this wonderful Loyalty Award to me, I definitely appreciate it! This award is given to loyal followers and friends of your blog who really spread the love, so I am passing it to...

Beth @ The Confused Homemaker

Anna @ Without a Net

Annette @ Under the Loupe

Lauren @ Sanity Sold Separately

These fellow bloggers have left me some very sweet and thoughtful comments and I thank them for being so Loyal!

Lauren at Sanity Sold Separately awarded me with 2 awards - The Honest Scrap Award and the Friends Award! Thanks Lauren! I always enjoy reading her blog - her kids are adorable and she has a great sense of humor! If you haven't stopped by Sanity Sold Separately yet, I would highly suggest it. Or if you are interested in givewaways, you can always stop by her other blog - Three Green Peas Reviews.

The rules of the Honest Scrap Award is that I now have to tell you 10 honest things about myself. Hmm, let me think....

1. I secretly LOVE my minivan! I always said I would NEVER drive one, but now that I have one, I'm not sure I'll ever go back.

2. I'm still paying for student loans for a degree that I am not currently using. Is it too early to teach my kids accounting?

3. I continue to tell everyone that asks (including my husband) that I am done having kids - but there is a part of me that would love to have another. Good thing Steve probably knows me more than I do or he may have actually gone through with a certain procedure to keep our family of 5 a family of 5.

4. I love to read fiction - and once I get into a book, everything around me gets put on hold. Because of course the lives in the book are so much more important than the one I am living. The other night I stayed up until 4am to finish Twilight, knowing I would need to wake up at 6:30 to feed my youngest. I was so tired the next day, but it was SO worth it!

5. I can be very stubborn and don't like asking for help.

6. I worry needlessly about EVERYTHING!

7. I have to overachieve in everything I do - I blame that on being an oldest child and having a "Type - A" personality.

8. I will complain about it to whoever wants to listen (because I do LOVE sleep), but I do secretly enjoy when one of my kids wakes me up in the middle of night. One on one time is so hard to come by during the day.

9. I don't like the snow, but I would love to move to Vermont.

10. I am not always very honest with myself, because Steve had to supply me with a couple of these from the list. Can you guess which ones?

So there are my 10 things. Now I am passing this along to:

The Confused Homemaker

Theta Mom

5 Kids, 2 Labs, 1 Lizard and a Hermit Crab

Babee Love

Baby Makin(g) Machine

Barefoot Mommies

Confessions of a First Time Mom

Crazy Adventures in Parenting

Domestic Dork
Happily Domestic

I love the Friends award - the button is so adorable and it has been great meeting so many new friends through my blog! Here are the rules for the "Friends" award:

This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. deliver this award to six bloggers who must choose six more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award. I will pass this award to some of my bloggy friends that I find exceedingly charming…

Molly @ I'm a Sleepy Baker

Yonca @ Yonca Is Cooking

Mackenzie @ Mama Kenz Studio

Melissa @ Ethan's Page

Lisa @ Smell the Coffee Lisa

Anna over at Without a Net awarded me with the Lovely Blog Award! Thanks Anna! The rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award" are:

Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I decided that instead of picking from all the Lovely blogs I read each week, I would just share this award with all of my readers!! If you enjoy reading me blog and leaving me comments, then grab this award while you are here and post on your blog!

Thanks again to all of you for my awards!

50 Questions

OK, I'm a thief (sort of)...I stole (or I guess you can say "borrowed") this post from Lauren at Sanity Sold Separately because it looked like fun! Maybe some of you will steal it too (because I'm nosey like that!). (And yeah, I stole Lauren's opening paragraph as well as the idea because I am incapable of original thought these days!)



1. Where were you three hours ago? at home, in bed (I really wish I could spend more time in my bed!)

2. Who are you in love with? Steve

3. Have you ever eaten a crayon? I don't think so

4. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? I am sitting on the floor of my girls' room while they play around me - I'm surrounded by pink!!!!!

5. When was the last time you went to the mall? A few weeks ago - I took the kids to play in the indoor playground there and bought a little something for a bridal shower.

6. Are you wearing socks right now? No - I much prefer to be barefoot

7. Do you have a car worth over $2000? Yes

8. When was the last time you drove out of town? Hmm, I can't remember. I think it was when we drove down to the Florida Keys to celebrate Thanksgiving last year. Wow - it's been almost a year. I did just fly up to CT last weekend though to visit my parents.

9. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days? Nope

10. Are you hot? With how cold my hubby keeps the thermostat in here, I could never be hot.

11. What was the last thing you had to drink? a glass of water (don't forget my mini-challenge this week as part of Body After Baby)

12. What are you wearing right now? shorts and a t-shirt - nothing crazy!

13. Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it? Depends on the day. If I don't have time I take it to the car wash. If I need something to keep the kids busy, we wash it together in the driveway.

14. Last food you ate? granola bar

15. Where were you last week at this time? Right here - just maybe on the other side of the bedroom.

16. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week? Nope.

17. When was the last time you ran? For exercise - that would be when I was about 2 months pregnant with my now 8 month old (so yeah, over a year ago!). But I feel like I run on a daily basis to keep up with my 3 1/2 year old and 2 year old :)

18. What was the last sporting event you watched? I watched the Red Sox v Yankees on the my flight the other day

19. Your favorite animal? For a pet or all around animal? I'm not really a pet person, although I met my brother's dog Max this past weekend and fell in love. He is such a sweetheart!!! When we go to the zoo though, I love the lions - I think they are so pretty.

20. Your dream vacation? Anywhere with my husband and no children!! (I stole this from Lauren - it totally applies to me as well!)

21. Last person’s house you were in? my mom's

22. Worst injury you ever had? I broke my foot when I was in 2nd grade playing freeze tag!

23. Have you been in love? Refer to question #2

24. Do you miss anyone right now? I miss our family - I wish we lived closer

25. Last play you saw? The Nutcracker - Steve took me to see it when we lived in Boston. Haven't seen a play since we moved.

26. What is your secret weapon to lure the opposite sex? I'm stealing Lauren's answer again - except I replaced it w/ my hubby's name - lol! I usually say, "Steve, all the kids are asleep. Do you wa..." and that's as far as I get.

27. What are your plans for tonight? sleep!

28. Who is the last person to send you a Facebook message or comment? my brother's fiance Emily

29. Next trip you are going to take? We are driving with the kids from Florida to Boston next month for my brother's wedding. Wish me luck!

30. Ever go camping? Yes, Steve & I used to camp a lot when we lived in New England. We haven't attempted here in Florida - I'm a little scared of the animals down here - um, alligators?

31. Were you an honor student in school? yes

32. What do you want to know about the future? Too much to write down here. But then again, what would be the point of today if I knew all I wanted to know about the future.

33. Are you wearing perfume or cologne? Neither

34. Are you due sometime this year for a doctor’s visit? Nope :)

35. Where is your best friend? He's at work today earning a good living to support the 4 of us sitting here at home! (My best girl-friend though is up in CT)

36. How is your best friend? He is a much saner version of me (and funnier too)!

37. Do you have a tan? unfortunately no. You would think that living in the sunshine state that I would be a little darker. Oh well!

38. What are you listening to right now? My older 2 children playing together

39. Do you collect anything? No

40. Who is the biggest gossiper you know? I don't really know of one.

41. Last time you got stopped by a cop or pulled over? About 5 years ago on my drive from Boston to Montepelier, VT for work. I was 10 minutes from my client and had been driving since 5am (up since 4am) and just wanted to get there. The police officer was very nice and let me go with just a warning

42. Have you ever drank your soda from a straw? When I used to drink soda, I did use a straw at restaurants. But I haven't drank soda in a few years now.

43. What does your last text message say? "I love you" to Steve.

44. Do you like hot sauce? not at all

45. Last time you took a shower? Yesterday morning

46. Do you need to do laundry? Of course - when do I not need to do laundry?

47. What is your heritage? Half irish and half slovak

48. Are you someone’s best friend? Yes

49. Are you rich? Probably depends in what context you are asking - seeing as my husband still has to work everyday (and drives to work in a beat up car that leaks on him in the rain), I would say no. But we have been blessed with 3 worderful children and the ability for me to stay home to care for them

50. What were you doing at 12 AM last night? trying to calm a crying a baby

Now that you know a little more about me, it's your turn...

Body After Baby Challenge - Week 1

Samantha over at Mama Notes came up with a great idea - a Body After Baby Challenge! It is a blog carnival to help create a support system for all of us moms out there that are trying so hard to reclaim their prebaby body. I decided to join in because, after 3 kids in 3 years, my body can use a little more help!

After a few months after my oldest child was born in 2006 I joined Weight Watchers. I felt like I just couldn't lose the weight and knew I would be going back to work when he was 4 months old. I really did not want to have to go out and buy all new work clothes. I can't even describe to you how much I liked Weight Watchers. I had tried dieting in the past and nothing had ever worked. This was the first time that I was able to see results (and it was very easy to follow!).

After my second was born in 2007, I started Weight Watchers a week after she was born. She was born in September and I knew I would have problems loosing the weight once the holidays rolled around. It was also a great time of year (weather-wise) down in Florida so I walked my 2 kids almost everyday for 30-60 minutes. By the time my daughter was 8 months old, I felt great!!!! I was probably in the best shape of my life. Then, when she was 9 months old, I found out I was pregnant again....bye, bye skinny jeans again!

So now my third is 8 months old. I again followed Weight Watchers (I started when she was about 2 months old). I didn't join this time, just followed the plan as I had in the past. I am very happy to say that I have almost reached my prepregnancy weight (within a few pounds), BUT I have not worked out AT ALL since my baby girl was born. So even though my weight is back, my body is not. And My clothes still don't really fit me right, my back hurts all the time and I just don't feel that energized. I know I just need something to get me motivated to start working out. When I exercise I just feel like a healthier and happier person. And it is great example to show for my kids if they see that I make time to exercise on a regular basis.

So today starts my Body After Baby Challenge. Samantha has created a mini-challenge for all of us moms each week. This week our challenge is drink more water (or up to the recommended amount of 8 glasses per day). This is such a great challenge because I find I struggle with this some days. I love water and don't really drink anything else (except for tea in the morning and an occasional glass of wine at night). But, there are days when I pour a glass of water at 10am and the next thing I know it's 3pm and I'm thirsty and that glass of water is still sitting there. Where does the time go? I'm still trying to figure that out!

Anyway - this week I am going to focus on drinking more water. And when this post is done, I'm going to get my kids packed up to go for a walk/jog to the park. Thanks in advance for your support in the Body After Baby Challenge! If you would also like to join in, head on over to Mama Notes!